Double-clicking a Word file results in an error.

[IanB]

Hi,

I have an annoying problem with Word 2007. When I double-click on a Word
file to open it, Word starts but then presents an error stating: Windows
cannot find the file ... Make sure you typed the name correctly and then try
again. Double-clicking the file for a second time then opens it. Pain in the
a*se!

It's the same trying to open a Word file attachment in Outlook. What can be
done to resolve this issue?

 

[IanB]

By the way - I'm not using Norton!

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

It sounds like the file association was damaged. This sometimes can be fixed
by re-registering Word. To do this:

In Windows XP:

Click Start - Run - type "winword.exe /r" (without the quotes) and press
Enter.

In Vista:

Click Start, type "winword.exe /r" (sans quotes) into the Start Search box,
and press Enter.

(If this doesn't fix it, you might need to manually edit the file
association's default Open behavior.)

 

[IanB]

Thanks, Herb, I'll give that a try on both the Vista machines that give me
this problem and post the response!
--
Regards,

Ian B

It sounds like the file association was damaged. This sometimes can be fixed
by re-registering Word. To do this:

In Windows XP:

Click Start - Run - type "winword.exe /r" (without the quotes) and press
Enter.

In Vista:

Click Start, type "winword.exe /r" (sans quotes) into the Start Search box,
and press Enter.

(If this doesn't fix it, you might need to manually edit the file
association's default Open behavior.)

 

[IanB]

Hello, again, Herb,

Well, I tried your suggestion but I still got the same error: "Windows
cannot find "filename". Make sure you typed the name correctly and then try
again.". This also shows that the association is not broken, just the parsing
of the filename to Word. And, as I mentioned in another post, this happens on
both of my Vista machines - one a "native" Vista laptop (Samsung Q45) and the
other an upgraded Vista desktop.

So, still having to either double-click the file twice to load it, or revert
to a "Load" command.

Any further thoughts?

Ian B
--
Regards,

Ian B

It sounds like the file association was damaged. This sometimes can be fixed
by re-registering Word. To do this:

In Windows XP:

Click Start - Run - type "winword.exe /r" (without the quotes) and press
Enter.

In Vista:

Click Start, type "winword.exe /r" (sans quotes) into the Start Search box,
and press Enter.

(If this doesn't fix it, you might need to manually edit the file
association's default Open behavior.)

 

[Terry Farrell]

Sounds like a possible third party add-in that messing around or possibly a
registry problem. Have you got any utilities installed that hook into Word?

--
Terry Farrell - MSWord MVP

Hello, again, Herb,

Well, I tried your suggestion but I still got the same error: "Windows
cannot find "filename". Make sure you typed the name correctly and then
try
again.". This also shows that the association is not broken, just the
parsing
of the filename to Word. And, as I mentioned in another post, this happens
on
both of my Vista machines - one a "native" Vista laptop (Samsung Q45) and
the
other an upgraded Vista desktop.

So, still having to either double-click the file twice to load it, or
revert
to a "Load" command.

Any further thoughts?

Ian B
--
Regards,

Ian B

 

[IanB]

Hi Terry,

The add-ins I have are Omnipage 16 OCR together with Scansoft's PDF Create!
and Avery Wizard for label printing. Are any of these know to interfere?

As I may or may not have indicated, if Word is open, there is no problem -
it's only if I double-click on a Word file which causes Word to be opened
that the problem arises.
--
Regards,

Ian B

 

[Terry Farrell]

Both those could be causing the problem. They usually add a template to
Word's Startup folder. So first check is to prove it is an add-in is to
remove them from the start up folder and test to see if that resolves it.

Terry

 

[Beth Melton]

What you describe indicates the issue lies in the file associations. Try
deleting your Word file type and then using the /r switch again to recreate
it. (Don't worry - I've done this numerous times myself) I found this was
necessary to correct the problem in previous versions and it wouldn't
suprise me if the same occurs in this version.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

Hello, again, Herb,

Well, I tried your suggestion but I still got the same error: "Windows
cannot find "filename". Make sure you typed the name correctly and then
try
again.". This also shows that the association is not broken, just the
parsing
of the filename to Word. And, as I mentioned in another post, this happens
on
both of my Vista machines - one a "native" Vista laptop (Samsung Q45) and
the
other an upgraded Vista desktop.

So, still having to either double-click the file twice to load it, or
revert
to a "Load" command.

Any further thoughts?

Ian B
--
Regards,

Ian B

 

[IanB]

Hi Beth,

It isn't a file association error - as I mentioned in the original post,
double-clicking the first time opens Word and produces the error -
double-clicking the second time opens the file. I think Terry is on to
something with the add-in problem since both copies of Word 2007 running on
Vista machine have the same ScanSoft add-ins - so we might be on to something!
--
Regards,

Ian B

 

[Beth Melton]

Perhaps, but what you describe, double-clicking the file fails the first
time and when you double-click it a second it opens, has been occurring
prior to Office 2007 and Vista and the issue was in the file associations.


Please let us know what you find.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Hazel]

Having similar problem here.

Running Vista and Word 2007 as part of Microsoft Office Professional 2007.

Purchased new document feed scanner and Paperport11, which includes Scansoft
tools last Thursday. Problem since Monday. Definately a pattern to this.

Same symptoms, once we manage to get word open, leaving 1 document open in
background is temporary workaround but not very satisfactory.

Also just installed Office 2007 SP1 on Monday as instructed when the problem
started - as it said update would resolve.

Any help welcome, as a small charity we do not want to invest in PC call out
charges to resolve.

Thanks


Hazel

 

[Terry Farrell]

Paperport add-in is reported to cause this problem with Word. Try removing
the PP add-in and test.

 

[Bill LaCommare]

We are also experiencing this problem on documents created with our
multimedia authoring application on all Vista PCs. Double-clicking the
document launches the app and then brings up a message saying it
"can't find the file" that the user just double-clicked on. Double-
clicking again opens it, but most people don't try this after getting
the error. XP works fine and so does File-Open. Programmers have
examined the Registry and all looks fine. Thanks for your help
resolving this error!

Bill - MediaWorks

 

[Terry Farrell]

It is the result of an add-in that is incompatible with Word 2007. See how
to find add-ins

http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011514521033.aspx

--
Terry Farrell - MSWord MVP

We are also experiencing this problem on documents created with our
multimedia authoring application on all Vista PCs. Double-clicking the
document launches the app and then brings up a message saying it
"can't find the file" that the user just double-clicked on. Double-
clicking again opens it, but most people don't try this after getting
the error. XP works fine and so does File-Open. Programmers have
examined the Registry and all looks fine. Thanks for your help
resolving this error!

Bill - MediaWorks